Korean Community, Clark locators members support CIAC president

The United Korean Community Association of Central Luzon in the Philippines and several Clark locators expressed full support for Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) President and CEO Victor Jose I. Luciano for his contributions in the development of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA).

The United Korean Community Association of Central Luzon in the Philippines, headed by Executive Vice-President Eui-Kwon Chung, awarded Luciano a Plaque of Appreciation yesterday for his contributions in the development of the DMIA as one of the busiest airports in the country today.

“We in the Korean Community recognize the efforts and contributions of Mr. Luciano for making the DMIA a busy airport that is now bustling with foreign and local carriers flying out of Clark,” Chung said during the simple awarding ceremonies held at the CIAC Boardroom yesterday.

The Korean Community official was joined by Good People International-Philippines President Joshua Yoonsoo Cho.

At the same time, officers of several Clark locator-firms led by President Lito Mercado, chief operating officer of PLDT-Clark, commended Luciano for attracting foreign and local airlines to operate in Clark, a development that became the catalyst that catapulted the development of the DMIA since 2003.

“We recognize Mr. Luciano’s efforts for the development of the airport in Clark that in turn boosted the economy in the Metro Clark area,” Mercado stressed.

For his part, Luciano said that despite all the things that are being said about him as of late, groups that support the development of the DMIA and have confidence in his leadership remain unfazed.

“I am very grateful for the support you have given and me and our efforts to develop the DMIA. I deeply appreciate this award,” Luciano said Korean Community officials and the locators.

The CIAC chief informed the group of the slated start of operations of budget carrier Jin Air of South Korea on October 31. Jin Air is a subsidiary of Korean Air, the flag carrier of South Korea.

“We will see more of Koreans visiting Clark as well as more OFWs coming home to visit their families because of these new flights by Jin Air,” he added.

He added that another Korean airline, Air Busan, a subsidiary of Asiana Airlines, is also slated to operate at the DMIA, plying the Clark-Busan route as well as the upcoming operations of Middle Eastern carrier RAK Airways that will fly from Clark to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) via India and Helenik, a Greek airline.

Luciano also announced that Singapore Airlines Engineering (SIA) will set up another hangar at the Clark Civil Aviation Complex starting this November to accommodate wide-bodied aircraft such as the Boeing 747.

SIA finished construction of its first hangar and started operations in 2009 to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for the Airbus fleet of Cebu Pacific, its joint venture partner for the MRO facility in Clark.